Teenage Dream

Currently more on the teenage side, not quite to the dream.

I am back at it for round four of braces.  Thankfully by looking like a teenager for the next nine months I will be able to achieve the dream of painless jaw joints and the ability to thoughtlessly eat my meals.  It has been a long journey to get to this point {splint, jaw surgery, exercises...} and I am grateful to be on the final stretch.

I caved and took the vain route of clear braces.  Hey, I think I deserve it this time around.

And for your viewing pleasure, (mainly for my dad) moi and my railroad tracks.

Breakfast of ...

Champions the Sick.
{but he's still a champion in my eyes---helped with cleaning our tornado struck-looking house for a few hours yesterday}

For breakfast we had cream of wheat and orange juice.  Because the Hubs is sick and that's what he requested. Hoping for better feeling days for him soon.

He just informed me that it's not allergies as I had originally suspected.  100+ degree temps don't come with allergies.

Spring

There is something about the changing of seasons that makes me so excited.  When we returned home from snowy Wyoming, I was excited to be greeted by budding trees and blooming flowers.  With the new season comes new adventures and new projects.  My first spring project has been making a porch bench so we can enjoy the great weather sitting on our porch.  We finished it yesterday and I love it.  Now that the weather is good, we get to spend our weekends outside enjoying Arkansas.  We have gone to Compton gardens/Slaughter Pen a few times for biking and have loved it!  Hope you are all enjoying your spring weather as much as we are. If only spring break came with this season of our lives...

 we love riding here.  They have expanded the trail system this past winter and it is fabulous!

We saw a similar bench (in a random neighborhood) that we both thought we could replicate so drove to Home Depot to buy wood and give the bench an attempt.  Colby cut and assembled everything and I did the finish work.  Who knew a router and electric sander could be so much fun.  Thanks to my fabulous neighbor for sharing his cool tools and showing me how to use them.  :) Now I just have to find some lovely outdoor pillows.

Blessed to Have Known Him

As many of you may already know, Colby's father, Kelly Heiner passed away a week and a half ago after battling with Kidney cancer for the past few months.  We were able to spend over a week with him in January which we will always treasure.  The past months have been difficult ones for Kelly and Debra.  After months of trying to figure out why Kelly was struggling, he was diagnosed with Kidney cancer on December 7, 2010.  Shortly after, prior to a pending operation, it was found that the cancer had spread to his liver and lungs and that it was a very rare cancer, one the Huntsman Cancer Institute had only seen two times prior.  He was given three weeks to live.  He was a fighter and decided together with his sweet wife, Debra, to try chemo treatments as he was not healthy enough to survive an operation.  This began the beginning of many weeks of driving to and from their home in Wyoming 4 hours for treatments once a week.  After two-plus months of treatments, it was found the chemo was ineffective.

Before heading back to Wyoming, the waited in Utah to meet up with Darren who was coming to visit from Mississippi, the last of the sons to visit since the diagnosis. A day after returning home and calling in hospice, Kelly left this earth and returned home to our Father in Heaven.  While we know he is in a much better place doing the work of the Lord and released from the pain in this life, we are still saddened to be here without him.  He knew there was a greater work in store for him, so once able to see each of his sons, he went Home.  As I learned in one of the funeral talks, we know that our Lord is truly merciful after seeing Kelly released from this earth and the ugly disease of cancer that engulfed his body.  He was a wonderful man and touched the lives of many.  I was overcome with amazement as I sat through two viewings and the funeral service as I learned more about Kelly and heard many share how he had helped shape their lives.  He truly understood the gospel and exemplified the principles of charity, teaching, family and love.  I am honored to be his daughter-in-law and be married to one of his sons.

While this has been a difficult season of our lives, we have been greatful for the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives and have recognized the many tender mercies we have been given.  My mother in law refers to each of these instances as "Divine Signatures" as we can see the hand of the Lord reminding us He is with us.

Thank you everyone for your kind words and for you prayers.